


Bikes

by Amikotsu



Series: writing prompts [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic, Sneakiness, Yamanaka Ino-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 05:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20755397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amikotsu/pseuds/Amikotsu
Summary: Every Sunday, Ino tries to track down the owner of a bike similar to her own. After eighteen weeks, she's ready to give up. And then she finds him.





	Bikes

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't spend a lot of time editing this, and it's like all of the people willing to beta have died off in some kind of freak plague. Um, yeah. Be warned.

She closed her eyes and breathed in the cool morning air, taking in the smell of new spring flowers. Sunday was her relaxation day, the day she spent in her garden, wrist deep in dark soil. Before she stepped into the garden, she always rode her bike through town to get coffee at her favorite coffeehouse, a little place called Konoha. The coffeehouse was a slice of heaven. She always ordered an iced caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso and a cinnamon roll. She and her best friend, Sakura, were on diets, but Sunday was a cheat day, and how she lived for Sundays. She could finally unwind and forget the stress that came along with working at the hospital. Ino didn't have to think of anyone but herself, for a change. She lived alone, in a nice two-bedroom home on the upper east side. She'd had a cat, but he'd passed away four months before. His kidneys had failed. Ino had cried for weeks. And then she was alone again, alone in her cute little house, with its big picture windows and its large backyard. All she could think about was how spring really left no room for loneliness. 

Ino coasted through the streets, mind on everything but the road in front of her. The city was small, so there wasn't much traffic on the roads. And it was early, she reminded herself. Not everyone was a morning person. She'd invited Sakura, but her friend had been called into the hospital. Ino really shouldn't have extended the invitation anyway, since she knew she needed the time to unwind, but the loneliness had gotten to her, sinking its claws into her chest, feeling its way along her bones. Ino was a social butterfly, had always been a social butterfly, so she needed conversation in the way she needed air. The coffeehouse gave her that too. She conversed without the need to impress anyone. A brief greeting, some simple small talk, and a quick goodbye. There were no strings attached. Ino liked that. She hated too many strings. She felt suspended, the threads leaving her dangling over a steep dropoff. 

As the coffeehouse came into view, Ino spotted it again, the grey bicycle. It was a running theme. Their bikes matched. They were from the same line. And every Sunday, she played a matching game; she tried to match the bike with the inhabitants of the shop. She'd eliminated all of the employees, and she knew all of the Sunday regulars, so that left her with new faces. That left her with endless questions. She didn't think the owner of the bike actually went into the coffeehouse, but she had no idea where the person went every Sunday, only that the person was there, somewhere. Ino put her turquoise bike in the bike rack. She'd stopped chaining it up. She didn't need to. She'd accepted that if someone really wanted her bike, then she wasn't meant to have it. Crime was low in their city anyway. And what would someone want with a turquoise bike equipped with a tan little basket and silver bell? The bike was girly. Ino acknowledged that.

She stood next to the grey bike and examined the tires. The person didn't ride much, or maybe the person didn't go very far from one point to the next. Ino ran her hand along the handlebars, both of them wooden and smooth, like her own. She looked around, but there were only two other people on the street. One woman was carrying grocery bags, while the other was jogging. Neither of them owned the grey bike. Sighing, Ino took a step back, then she turned and entered into the coffeehouse. The interior of the shop always made her mouth water. She lived on coffee. She swore her blood was pure coffee. Sakura had brought it up plenty of times. She drank too much, but she'd always joke that she lived on the edge. Yes, coffee was part of her adventurous side. No wonder she lived alone.

"The bike again?"

"Did you see the person, Tenten?"

"No. I'm sorry. I had to unload the truck," the woman apologized. She'd just finished making a latte, which she handed off to an older man. Ino approached the counter next, though her eyes roamed the room. The place was fairly empty. The only ones present were regulars. Tenten was used to Ino scanning the room, so she didn't miss a beat. "Macchiato?"

"You know it," Ino smiled. She handed Tenten the exact amount, change included, then she moved down to the end of the counter to wait for her drink. She used to talk to Tenten, but they'd known each other for well over a year, so they had no problem with the silence. Ino was still tired from her late shift and Tenten didn't force a conversation. When the drink was ready, Ino took it and thanked Tenten.

"You know, Choji is still here. He was here first thing for fresh croissants. Maybe he saw the person," Tenten suggested, referring to one of the regulars. She pointed over to a corner of the room, where a man was slowly eating his way through croissants. Though they'd basically grown up together, Ino had only talked to him once. She'd been running late for work and he'd let her cut in line. "Otherwise you could ask Jiraiya."

Jiraiya was a nice man, but he was also a massive pervert. He had to be in his forties or fifties and he still flirted with Ino, and any other woman within the vicinity. She had to admit he was good looking though, for an older man. He liked to laugh. He went to the coffeehouse for peace and quiet; he was an author and he liked to brainstorm while people watching and drinking dark-roast coffee. Ino didn't want to talk to Jiraiya. She didn't feel like having him imagining her naked. She swore he undressed her whenever they spoke. No, Choji was a better option. Ino thanked Tenten again, then she navigated her way through the sea of tables.

"Good morning, Choji." 

"Morning, Ino." Choji moved the empty plate from the other side of the table, giving Ino more room. Ino slid into the chair and counted the number of remaining croissants. How Choji managed to eat nine croissants was a mystery, but Ino didn't question his eating habits anymore. As a nurse, she was worried; as a friend, she was amused. Choji offered her a croissant, but she shook her head. "Is this about the bike? I heard you talking to Tenten."

"Did you see the person it belongs to?" Ino took a drink of her macchiato, savoring the rich coffee and the sweet caramel. Choji rubbed his chin, as if in thought. "Did you see the person or not?"

"Yeah, I saw him go over the hill. He just parks his bike here and walks," Choji said, shrugging his shoulders. He took a big bite of a croissant, crumbs decorating his shirt and the table.

"Thanks, Choji! You're the best!" Ino got up, leaned over, and kissed his cheek. His cheeks turned red and he fumbled for a response, which made her snicker. "Enjoy your breakfast." Ino patted his shoulder, then she went to the front to pick up two cinnamon rolls, one for herself and one for the mystery man. She picked up the small to-go bag and her macchiato, then she left the coffeehouse.

The day was going to be cool, thanks to the cloud coverage overhead. The light breeze ruffled the end of her sundress and blew her bangs out of her face. She'd thought to wear her hair back, just to keep it out of her face, but she reconsidered with every step. She hadn't tried to hit on a guy since her junior year at the university. Men went to her, not the other way around. She hadn't been so excited, so nervous, since Sakura had set her up on a blind date. It turned out to be Sasuke, of course, and it was the worst date she'd ever had, next to the homecoming dance disaster in high school. Sakura ended up with him, oddly enough. Sakura could stand his broody behavior and his failed attempts at romance. July made one year for them. Ino still thought he was downright boring, but he made Sakura smile. Was it wrong for her to want that for herself? It was envy, she knew, and it left her feeling especially upset. She never told Sakura how it felt to watch them together. She didn't like pity. She didn't need anyone's pity. 

Ino carried her macchiato and the bag in one hand so she could try to fix her bangs. She'd worn a pretty dress, and her hair looked nice, so she had a good shot. She'd woken up with the plan to finally track the man down, as she had every Sunday for the past eighteen weeks. Yes, eighteen weeks. She kept count of every failed attempt. Every Sunday sent her on another adventure though. She'd finally worked through surrounding shops last week, so that had left her with nothing. Choji's tip was her last hope. Maybe she should have given up, but she found it adorable that their bikes were so similar. They had that in common, which was more than she'd had in common with her last date, an accountant from the tax agency across the street from the hospital. They'd had _nothing_ in common. Ino had lied about a work emergency to get away from him.

She just wanted a little taste of romance, just a taste, just something to distract herself from the fact that she was pushing twenty-five without a husband in sight. One of her friends, Hinata, had just had a baby shower, and it was only a matter of time before Sasuke got off his ass and proposed. Ino groaned at the realization that she really was the only single one in the group, unless she counted Shizune from pediatrics. Then again, that was only because Tsunade, the best damn doctor in the hospital, kept scaring all of the men away. 

Ino slid down the hillside, though she managed to remain on her feet. At the bottom, she wobbled a little in her wedges, but she gave herself a ten for effort alone. She turned and stared at the grassy hill. If she weren't already carrying the cinnamon rolls and her macchiato, she might have removed her sandals and continued barefoot, but she didn't have that option. The grass around her was taller than usual, brushing against her ankles and up further on her legs. It wasn't a great place to hang out, so she had to wonder what type of person wanted to explore an unkempt field. Frowning, Ino stomped on a particularly nasty weed and a bee flew up at her. She stopped moving and held her breath, even though she wanted to scream and run away. The bee quickly realized she wasn't the flower it had been looking for, and they both went their separate ways. 

"What kind of guy," Ino complained, the rest of her words dying on her lips. The unkempt patch of land fed into a beautiful field of flowers, tiny purple and yellow flowers across the flat landscape. Someone actually cared for the field. The air smelled of flowers and she lost the sound of city traffic. She only heard the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds. There was a tree in the field and she saw someone in the shade. "Breath? Check. Hair? Good. Boobs? Perfect," she mumbled to herself, navigating her way through the patches of flowers. She didn't want to step on them, but she couldn't avoid them all. 

He was lying on the ground, hands clasped behind his head. The tree provided him with shade, even though the sky had plenty of white, fluffy clouds. At first, she didn't recognize him. They hadn't seen one another in a long time, which seemed almost impossible, since they lived in the same city. Nothing about him stood out to her, so they could have simply missed one another. She bit down on her lower lip, getting a quick taste of her strawberry gloss, then she closed the distance between them. She lowered the bag over his head and he opened an eye to stare up at her. Choji had to have known it was Shikamaru. The two had been friends since they were toddlers. Ino could have been in their circle, but she preferred spending time with other girls, so any chance of a strong friendship between them went up in flames. Ino hadn't really talked to them since high school, and that was with seeing Choji every Sunday at the coffeehouse. 

"What is it?" Shikamaru didn't move to take the bag, even when Ino gave the bag a little shake to show that something was inside. Ino arranged her dress and sank down to her knees on the grass, then she gave up and moved to stretch her legs out. It was Shikamaru. She didn't have to impress anyone. Again, Ino extended the bag, and that time Shikamaru sat up and took it. He opened the bag enough to peer inside. "Cinnamon rolls?"

"Yeah, one is yours."

"How did you find me?"

"Choji. He let me think my bike twin was, well, not you." Ino reached down and plucked a small yellow buttercup from amongst the grass. Her family owned a flower shop, so she loved flowers. She could have been a florist. Shikamaru seemed thoughtful, then he reached into the bag and took one of the cinnamon rolls. He handed the bag back to her, so she took hers too. "We have bikes from the same line, so I thought I'd finally meet my bike twin today."

"And it's me." 

He took a bite of the cinnamon roll and watched as she did the same. She hadn't meant to sound so disappointed, but she'd expected someone else, someone different. In the end, she already knew the person. She'd spent weeks hunting for Shikamaru. She couldn't help but laugh at her inner romantic. That just didn't happen in real life. They finished off their cinnamon rolls in silence, just listening to the faint chirping of birds. Shikamaru had found a nice spot, a safe haven, but he'd always had the ability to find the best relaxation spots. As a child, he'd spent hours just watching the clouds, and Ino had wondered how he could waste so much time. Being twenty-four, she'd had quite a few years to change her opinion. Cloud watching was the perfect way to spend the morning. 

"Do you come here a lot?"

"Every Sunday."

"Only Sunday?"

"I'm busy with work," he sighed, already returning to his relaxed position. He laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at a large cloud formation, as if the shift in his focus ended the conversation. Most of the time, Ino was a talker. She knew she liked to talk, especially when she was nervous. She felt the urge to interrupt the moment, to drag him back into the conversation. She didn't know why she decided to stay, but she did. 

Ino rearranged her dress and tucked the excess fabric beneath her legs, then she lay down next to Shikamaru. She didn't care that the ice in her macchiato would melt and ruin the flavor of the drink; she didn't care about the remaining crumbs of their rolls that would inevitably draw ants. Hands resting over her stomach, Ino laced her fingers together and focused on the sky. She saw a lot of different animals in the sky, but she also saw flowers, big, beautiful flowers. What did she even say to someone she knew from childhood? Where did she start? Ino turned her head to look at him, but his eyes were closed again. She wondered if he'd managed to fall asleep. She risked a question, something boring, so very superficial. 

"How's your dad?"

"He just got out of the hospital."

"I didn't know. Is he alright now?"

"Yeah, he had a mild heart attack. It's the stress from his job."

Ino knew they had a firm. The three families had maintained the firm for generations. Ino's dad had worked there, but he'd retired when Ino was seven. Her dad had wanted more time with his family. Ino had loved when her parents had opened the flower shop. She had more time with them, and more time with the beautiful flowers. She'd told everyone that she would run the shop one day. She should have gone to the firm to represent the Yamanaka name, but law wasn't her _thing_. She'd never had the grades or the attention span, if she was being honest with herself. She'd never imagined Choji following in his father's footsteps either, so she wasn't surprised to learn that he was in culinary school to become a chef. But Shikamaru was _brilliant_. He was a certified _genius_. She didn't need to ask if he ended up at the firm. Shikamaru let life carry him along. 

"Why doesn't he retire? He can't recover if he's just going to go right back to what he was doing before," Ino said, turning her head again to look at him. He was looking at her too, his eyes open once more. 

"He's retiring in two months. I'll be taking over." Shikamaru didn't look happy. He didn't look relieved. Ino wondered if he saw it as yet another rock weighing him down. He was a _lazy_ genius. Running a firm was a big responsibility. She'd run away from that career choice and sought refuge in nursing. She liked her job. She liked her choice. "Choji told me you became a nurse. I was surprised. I would have thought your horrible bedside manner would have made that impossible."

"I was _nine_ and I thought you were just trying to get out of going to school!"

"I had my appendix removed. I wasn't going back to school the next day."

"You're so annoying."

"Then why are you still here?" Ino knew he didn't mean to sound cruel, so she huffed and threw her buttercup at his face. The flower bounced off his cheek and landed in the grass, becoming yet another bit of color in their little world. He reached over and poked her side, right where she was ticklish. She snorted and burst into laughter, something that made him smile. He waited for her to calm down before he turned back to the clouds again. He left her to stare at him, to try and grasp how much they'd changed versus how much they'd remained the same. 

"Did you know it was me, that I was your bike twin?"

"Yeah, I've known for a while. I decided I'd let you make the first move. It's such a drag."

"I didn't," Ino began, losing her words for the second time that day. He'd known and he'd planned their meeting. He'd told Choji to exclude important details. He'd likely spoken to everyone that had seen him there, everyone that knew him there. She was the last to know, the very last piece of the puzzle. "You're scary good," Ino admitted, caught somewhere between shock and awe. Eyes closed, face toward the sky, he smirked through his victory. "What if I'm not interested?" His eyes opened, and she thought she had him, but no one ever really had Shikamaru. 

"You're still here."

"Just watch the clouds."

**Author's Note:**

> I stopped writing for a while, but I've been sitting on writing prompts I completed months ago. This is one. I don't write this pairing a lot, because I'm obsessed with KakaObi, but yeah. ShikaIno happened.


End file.
